Noida: Four held for black marketing oxygen cylinders, medical equipment

Noida: Four people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly black marketing oxygen cylinders and medical equipment in the city

Noida: Four people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly black marketing oxygen cylinders and medical equipment in the city. Police said that the suspects would buy an oxygen cylinder for ₹12,000 and sell the same to the relatives of a Covid-19 patient for ₹40,000-45,000.

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Police have seized one 42-litre oxygen cylinder, four oxygen masks, three cylinder regulators, five mobile phones, and two sedan cars from the possession of the suspects.

The suspects were identified as Himanshu Shukla, Waseem Alvi and Soheb, all natives of Uttar Pradesh, and Aditya Mudgal, a Delhi resident. According to police officials, they were involved in the operation for at least two months.

“They would purchase oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment like oxygen masks and regulators from dealers at lower prices and then sell them to the public at very higher rates. They reached out to those in need through social media,” said Jitendra Kumar Dikshit, station house officer, Phase 3 police station.

The officials said they had a tip-off about the illicit activities of the gang, following which a decoy customer contacted Himanshu who demanded ₹45,000 for an oxygen cylinder and the deal was finalized at ₹39,000. The four were nabbed from near the Garhi roundabout on the FNG road, they said.

The suspects were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Act. A search is on for other accomplices of the gang, said police.

All the suspects were produced before a magistrate and later sent to jail, police said.